Published: 20/12/2013 02:51 PM

France says Syria air strikes amount to "war crimes"

PARIS - France on Friday said indiscriminate air strikes by Syrian government forces on the city of Aleppo amounted to war crimes and called for a halt to such attacks.

The Doctors Without Borders medical charity says at least 189 people have been killed and nearly 900 wounded in the Aleppo bombings since Sunday, which come ahead of scheduled peace talks in Geneva next month.

"France condemns the bombings in Aleppo by the regime of [President] Bashar al-Assad, including the use of barrel bombs," foreign ministry deputy spokesperson Vincent Floreani said.

"These attacks against the civilian population are unacceptable. They constitute war crimes," he said.

"The Syrian regime must put an end to them."

Washington tried to push through a US-drafted UN Security Council statement condemning the heightened offensive on Aleppo, including the use of Scud missiles and barrel bombs, but it was blocked by Russia.

Russia has strongly defended Assad from Security Council action during the 33-month-old war in which the UN says well over 100,000 people have been killed.

Aleppo air strike damage. (AFP/Mohammed al-Khatieb)

These attacks against the civilian population are unacceptable. They constitute war crimes.